Colorimetry
Whether you are a teacher, parent or learning support specialist, you will know that solving undiagnosed reading difficulties can be time consuming and often frustrating, especially when conventional therapies fail to yield the results you had hoped for. We may be able to help with this.
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Our mission is to ensure parents and patients are fully aware that this intervention is available.
What is Colorimetry?
Colorimetry is a proven vision therapy using coloured overlay sheets and/or precision tinted glasses lenses to help with undiagnosed reading difficulties: Jumping words, problems tracking lines of text and general visual stress. It works by altering the way your visual system processes high-contrast information, such as black text on a white sheet of paper.
Assessment options and intervention . . .
Overcoming undiagnosed reading difficulties can prove consuming and often frustrating, especially when conventional therapies fail to yield the results you had hoped for. It is often assumed a child or young adult with undiagnosed reading difficulties is simply dyslexic, but are they?
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Although Colorimetry is not considered to be a cure for dyslexia, there is an increasing body of evidence that suggests some children, young adults and even adults may be experiencing a form of visual disturbance caused by the way their brain processes visual information when they read: losing track while reading, becoming very tired and showing fear or reluctance to read.
Over the last three decades a form of Therapeutic Optometry known as Colorimetry has been developed to offer relief with some undiagnosed reading difficulties. There are two stages to assessment . . .
Coloured overlays . . .
The initial stage is trying coloured overlay sheets. Assessment involves an appointment the Optician to carry this out at the same time as an Eye Exam. Assessment involves a speed of reading test, both with and without various overlays. If an improvement is recorded, the patient will take the overlay home to trial for a few weeks, before considering the next stage.
Full Colorimetry assessment . . .
If coloured overlays prove beneficial, a more detailed assessment using an Intuitive Colorimeter is recommended. This utilises the same speed of reading test but builds on the initial overlay result by defining a precise frequency, hue and saturation of colour, that is optimised and unique to the patients visual system. This precise colour can then be exactly replicated in glasses lenses.
Colorimetry glasses . . .
Colorimetry glasses will invariably prove to be a far more effective and a more convenient intervention for long-term use, with the added advantage that any prescribed prescription can also being incorporated into the glasses.
Colorimetry funding . . .
NHS funding
The NHS may provide some funding towards glasses generally, if your child is under 16 or aged 16,17 or 18 and still in full time education. They will, however not provide additional funding specifically for Colorimetry, so the above assessments and interventions are offered on a private only basis, less any NHS support that your child may be entitled to.
To enquire about a Colorimetry Assessment, please call one of our participating practices . . .